Shannon Pearl IS a singer. But she’s also one of the most idiosyncratic, interesting and brilliant artists working in the north-east. She’s playing Sunderland this September.

I love the sleeve of Shannon Pearl’s ‘Kiss The Ground’ album, which was released earlier this year. Black and white, it shows a night scene. Seven women clad in long white flowing dresses are busying themselves dancing around a fire in a state of wild abandon. It conjures an atmosphere, which is exactly what the tracks on the album do. Inspired by natural landscapes and folklore, Pearl herself describes it “Witch-Pop”. You might also say that it’s ethereally beautiful, hauntingly enchanting and not a kick in the arse off something Kate Bush fans might enjoy. Her gig at Independent in Sunderland sees her playing with a full six-piece band, so I imagine this one is going to rock (in the most otherworldly kind of way). Sterling support on the night comes from those female powerhouses Jenny Lascelles & Eve Cole. DP

Shannon Pearl + Jenny Lascelles & Eve Cole, Friday 29 September, Independent, Sunderland, 7.30pm, £7, independentsunderland.com